An integrated approach to the economic assessment of the innovation ecosystem in the context of digitalization

Abstract

The article examines the theoretical and methodological foundations for developing an integrated approach to the economic evaluation of innovation ecosystems in the context of digitalization. It is substantiated that contemporary transformation processes driven by the rapid development of digital technologies significantly change the nature of innovation activities, forming new models of interaction between businesses, research institutions, and public authorities. Digitalization intensifies the role of network effects, digital platforms, and data as a key economic resource, which necessitates a revision of traditional approaches to assessing innovation performance.

The main structural components of an innovation ecosystem are identified, including innovation potential, institutional environment, digital infrastructure, and performance outcomes. Their interconnections and mutual influence within the digital economy are analyzed. An integrated approach to economic evaluation is proposed, combining resource-based, institutional, performance, and digital dimensions, which makes it possible to account for the multidimensional nature of innovation ecosystem functioning.

It is demonstrated that the effectiveness of an innovation ecosystem depends not only on the availability of resources but also on the intensity of interactions among its participants, the level of digital maturity, the capacity for scaling innovations, and the ability to adapt to a dynamic external environment. A conceptual framework for an integrated evaluation model is developed, taking into account synergy effects, system dynamics, and the impact of digital transformation factors.

The practical significance of the results lies in their applicability for improving public policy in the field of innovation development, enhancing the management of innovation processes, and fostering competitive innovation ecosystems in the digital era.

Purpose of the article. The purpose of the article is to develop an integrated approach to the economic assessment of the innovation ecosystem in the context of digitalization, which takes into account the interaction of resource, institutional, performance, and digital components and makes it possible to determine its efficiency considering synergistic effects.

Research methods. To achieve the stated purpose, a set of complementary methods was applied to ensure a comprehensive economic assessment of the innovation ecosystem in the context of digitalization.

The method of system analysis was used to identify the structure of the innovation ecosystem and determine the relationships between its key components (innovation potential, institutional environment, digital infrastructure, and performance outcomes). This made it possible to form a holistic understanding of the research object as a multidimensional system.

The method of structural and functional analysis was applied to determine the role of each ecosystem element in shaping overall efficiency, as well as to identify functional relationships between resource, institutional, and digital components.

The comparative analysis method was used to compare existing approaches to the economic assessment of innovation ecosystems (resource-based, performance-based, institutional, and digital), which made it possible to identify their advantages and limitations and substantiate the feasibility of the integrated approach.

The methods of generalization and scientific abstraction were used to develop the conceptual foundations of the integrated assessment approach, including the identification of key parameters and principles for evaluating the innovation ecosystem.

The indicative analysis method was applied to substantiate the assessment indicator system, which includes indicators of innovation potential, digital maturity, institutional environment, and innovation performance.

The logical modeling method was used to construct an integrated model for the economic assessment of the innovation ecosystem, reflecting the relationships between its key components and allowing consideration of the synergistic effect of their interaction.

The method of qualitative expert evaluation was applied to clarify the significance of individual components within the overall assessment structure and to interpret the obtained results in the context of the digital transformation of the economy.

Results. During the study, an integrated approach to the economic assessment of the innovation ecosystem in the context of digitalization was developed, based on the combination of resource, institutional, performance, and digital components. A system of indicators was designed to provide a comprehensive assessment of the level of innovation ecosystem development while considering the interrelationships between its elements.

Based on the generalization of statistical data for 2019–2025, a positive trend in the development of Ukraine’s innovation ecosystem was identified. It was determined that the digital maturity indicator demonstrates the most dynamic growth and reached the highest value among all system components in 2025. At the same time, the institutional environment is characterized by lower development rates, creating a structural imbalance and limiting the effectiveness of innovation potential realization.

An integrated efficiency index of the innovation ecosystem was proposed, providing an opportunity to generalize heterogeneous indicators within a unified analytical model. The calculation results indicate an increase in the integrated efficiency index from 0.49 in 2019 to 0.63 in 2025, confirming the strengthening influence of digitalization on innovation development. It was established that the increase in digital maturity contributes to improving innovation performance and enhances the synergistic effect of interaction between ecosystem components.

Conclusions. The study proves that the efficiency of the innovation ecosystem in the context of digitalization is determined not only by the amount of available resources but also by the level of interaction between participants, digital maturity, and the quality of the institutional environment. The feasibility of applying an integrated approach to economic assessment is substantiated, as it allows consideration of the multidimensional nature of innovation development and ensures a comprehensive analysis of ecosystem functioning.

It was established that digitalization acts as a key factor in increasing the efficiency of innovation activities, as it accelerates information exchange, optimizes business processes, and improves coordination among innovation ecosystem participants. At the same time, the existence of a structural imbalance between digital and institutional components was identified, which restrains the full realization of innovation potential.

The practical significance of the obtained results lies in the possibility of applying the proposed approach for monitoring the efficiency of innovation ecosystems, forming state policy in the field of digital transformation, and substantiating managerial decisions regarding innovation development. Prospects for further research are related to adapting the integrated approach to sectoral and regional levels, as well as developing models for assessing network interaction among innovation ecosystem participants.